Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight) [LWN.net]

Lawrence Lessig wrote this article on CIO Insight. "The point in each case is not that we'd be better off without proprietary technology, or without property at all. The point, instead, is one that has been obvious since the birth of our republic--that a balance between proprietary and nonproprietary property is better than either extreme. As Bradford Smith, general counsel of Microsoft Corp. has written about software, "Both open-source and commercial software are integral parts of the broader software ecosystem." Either alone, I might add, would produce a weaker "software ecosystem.""

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Posted Oct 7, 2003 20:56 UTC (Tue) by mmarq (guest, #2332) [Link]

"Both open-source and commercial software are integral parts of the broader software ecosystem"

Absolutly!...

But is also obvious that the general purpose software from the OS up to commom productivity packages are the natural kingdom of FLOSS... yes the very same that M$ control and are the base of its monopoly!

I cant see M$ change is model to a taylor made software company, or a very specialized software company far more "global" than just Accounting and CMS, any time in the near futur!

So Mr. Bradford Smith statements are very bold and welcome, "accounting" to M$ past actions or... , is like M$ is trying to get by unnoticed,... or trying to get a cease fire from OSS community... or...

ODD!

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Posted Oct 8, 2003 6:58 UTC (Wed) by pointwood (guest, #2814) [Link]

Very cool article!

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Posted Oct 8, 2003 13:09 UTC (Wed) by imres (guest, #12) [Link]

It is sad to see that Lessig's excellent arguments seem to
fall on deaf ears. This story reminds me of the dangers
pointed out by Yochai Benkler:

"As economic policy, letting yesterday's winners dictate
the terms of tomorrow's economic competition is
disastrous. As social policy, missing an opportunity to
enrich our freedom and enhance our justice while
maintaining or even enhancing our productivity is
unforgivable"

What else could be done to awaken our society for these
dangers ahead us? Curiously though, in spite of all the
difficulties put by closed minds, the carriage of
open-source keeps climbing higher and higher!

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Posted Oct 8, 2003 17:52 UTC (Wed) by jdthood (guest, #4157) [Link] (1 responses)

Will someone please explain to me how 'nonproprietary property' is not
a contradiction in terms?

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Posted Oct 8, 2003 21:04 UTC (Wed) by imres (guest, #12) [Link]

It is more or less like buying a house and putting it at the disposal of
anyone willing to use it. But this scheme works much better with non-rival
goods, like ideas or software:

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then
you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have
an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas."
(George Bernard Shaw)

Isn't "nonproprietary property" the essence of all free software and all
open-source licenses? The author retains the copyright and uses it to put the
product at the disposal of whoever is willing to use it, to distribute it or
to modify it (eventually under certain conditions).

Just my two cents.

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Someone actually got it...

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)

Open-Source, Closed Minds (CIO Insight)